I'm a Runner: Dr. Jill Biden

The Second Lady is still active in the Komen Race for the Cure.

You're pretty close to the race in the beginning of June, so what are you aiming for now? Are you still doing five miles or are you trying to ramp it up? Usually because of time, I can't go over five miles—sometimes maybe I could do six or seven, and sometimes I could just do three. Because, you know, my days are pretty filled, so I have to run in the morning or whenever I have time, and then I've got to build in that time to get back and showered and changed and read my briefing for an event. I have to factor all of those things in.

So what's your best time? My best time was my only time [the Marine Corps Marathon]. I finished in 4:30:32. My goal was 4:30, so I feel like I met that goal and I was ecstatic. I have to say it was one of the highlights of my life. I saw my family at several spots along the way. And I tell you, at the end of that race, I felt like I could run five more miles. My adrenaline was through the roof.

Would you consider running another marathon?I always said I only wanted to do one marathon, but I've also learned to never say never!

So now do you run with the Secret Service?Oh, yeah. That's another big change in my life now—I usually have someone ahead of me and someone behind me. But they've been great. I just say to them, "I need to pretend you're not here," because I love to run by myself, and they're pretty respectful of that.

Are the Secret Service in cars or are they actually running?No, these guys are runners. I mean, these guys are fit, and they're good runners.

You said you love to run by yourself. Why is that? Is it because you use that time to think or is it meditative for you?I think that running creates a sense of balance in my life. And it really calms me down. It's a great feeling to just get out and lose myself in a run. I think that's why I continue to run because, as you know, once you get that, you kind of crave that time for yourself.

So I guess you don't exercise with your husband?Sometimes Joe runs with me, but he's not a runner. He's an athlete, and he does a lot of exercise. Like last night, he was playing football out on the front lawn with our granddaughter who loves to play football. So he likes to do a lot of sports, but I think once you're a runner, you really stick with it.